MARCH 15, 2018 NEW YORK GIANTS FREE AGENT NEWS…
Here is the latest news on the free agent front for the New York Giants:

The New York Giants have officially re-signed exclusive rights free agent defensive tackle Robert Thomas, who played in 15 games with no starts in 2017 and finished the season with 16 tackles. Thomas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Washington Redskins after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Redskins (2014-2015), Seahawks (2015), Patriots (2015), Dolphins (2015), and Panthers (2016). The Giants claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Panthers in September 2016; he played in eight regular-season games with no starts and finished the year with five tackles and one sack.

The NFL Network is reporting that the New York Giants have invited unrestricted free agent center John Sullivan (Los Angeles Rams) to visit. The Washington Redskins are also said to be interested in his services. The 32-year old, 6’4”, 310-pound Sullivan was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. He has spent time with the Vikings (2008-2015), Redskins (2016), and Rams (2017). Sullivan has started 109 regular-season games, including 15 last year for the Rams.

ESPN is reporting that the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles have expressed interest in unrestricted free agent punter Pat O’Donnell (Chicago Bears). The 27-year old, 6’4”, 217-pound O’Donnell was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Bears. In four seasons with the Bears, he has averaged 44.9 yards per punt (39.2 yard net). Last year, he averaged 47 yards per punt (39.7 yard net).

The NFL Network is reporting that New York Giants unrestricted free agent linebacker Jonathan Casillas is visiting the New England Patriots. Casillas was placed on Injured Reserve in early December 2017 with neck and wrist injuries. Casillas started all eight games he played in and finished with a disappointing 35 tackles and one pass defense. It was a major step down for Casillas, who has his best season to date as a pro in 2016 when he started 15 regular-season games and finished the year with 96 tackles, 1.5 sacks, eight pass defenses, and one forced fumble. Casillas was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2009 NFL Draft. He has played for the Saints (2009-2011), Buccaneers (2013-2014), and Patriots (2014). The Giants signed him as a free agent in March 2015.

ESPN is reporting that New York Giants unrestricted free agent offensive guard D.J. Fluker is visiting the Seattle Seahawks. Fluker was placed on Injured Reserve in late November 2017 with a toe injury. The Giants signed Fluker in March 2017 after he was cut by the Los Angeles Chargers. He started six games at right guard before being injured. Fluker was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft. In four seasons with the Chargers, Fluker started 59 regular-season games, first at right tackle and then right guard. After a solid rookie season in 2013, Fluker struggled with the Chargers and was cut in March 2017.

REPORT – GIANTS SIGN CORNERBACK TEDDY WILLIAMS…ESPN is reporting that the New York Giants are signing unrestricted free agent cornerback Teddy Williams, who was cut by the Carolina Panthers on March 7th, to a 1-year contract. The 29-year old, 6’1”, 210-pound Williams did not play college football and was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2010. He has spent time with the Cowboys (2010-2011), Sacramento Mountain Lions (2012), Indianapolis Colts (2012), Arizona Cardinals (2013–2014), Chicago Bears (2014), Jacksonville Jaguars (2014), and Carolina Panthers (2015–2017). Williams has played in 36 regular-season games with no starts. He spent most of the 2016 season and all of the 2017 season on Injured Reserve with knee and shoulder injuries, respectively. Williams combines excellent speed with good size for the position. Good special teams player.

ALEC OGLETREE TRADE OFFICIAL…
The New York Giants trade with the Los Angeles Rams to acquire linebacker Alec Ogletree became official on Wednesday. The Giants traded way their 4th round compensatory pick and their 6th round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft for Ogletree. The Giants will also receive the Rams’ 7th-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

“We’re very excited to have made the trade for Alec,” said General Manager Dave Gettleman. “He gives us our defensive quarterback. He was a two-time captain with the Rams, voted on by his teammates. He’s a leader, and that’s very important to us. Just as important, he’s a quality three-down MIKE linebacker. We’re just thrilled to have him. When you get a player of this quality, you can do it. Alec is 26. He’s young, he’s under contract for the next four years. We really thought he was a great guy to add.”

The 26-year old Ogletree was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Rams. He made the All-Rookie team in 2013 and was named second-team All-Pro in 2016. Ogletree lacks classic size (6’2”, 235 pounds). He’s more of a run-and-hit and coverage linebacker who is very athletic and a team leader, being voted team captain twice with the Rams. Ogletree played both 4-3 outside and 3-4 inside linebacker for the Rams. In 2017, Ogletree started all 15 regular-season games he played in, finishing with 95 tackles, two sacks, 10 pass defenses, one interception, and one forced fumble. He’s averaged over 100 tackles per season in the NFL in five seasons.

Ogletree signed a 4-year, $42 million contract extension last year and is under contract through the 2021 season. Unless his contract is re-structured, Ogletree will count $10 million against the Giants’ salary cap in 2018.

JONATHAN STEWART MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL…
The transcript of Wednesday’s media conference call with New York Giants running back Jonathan Stewart is available in The Corner Forum section of the website.

PATRICK ROBINSON SIGNS WITH SAINTS…
The New Orleans Saints have signed unrestricted free agent cornerback Patrick Robinson (Philadelphia Eagles). Media reports had indicated that the New York Giants were interested in Robinson. The 30-year old Robinson was originally drafted in the 1st round of the 2010 NFL Draft. The 5’11”, 191-pound defensive back has spent time with the Saints (2010-2014), San Diego Chargers (2015), Indianapolis Colts (2016), and Eagles (2017).

NEW YORK GIANTS CUT PUNTER BRAD WING…
The New York Giants have terminated the contract of punter Brad Wing, who had signed a three-year, $6.45 million extension in July 2016. Wing had two years left on his contract with base salaries of $1.35 million in 2018 and $1.45 million in 2019. He would have counted $2.025 million against the 2018 salary cap. By cutting him the Giants “saved” about $1.025 million in cap space with $1 million in dead money.

After a strong 2016 campaign punter Wing struggled in 2017, with poor performances being a factor in a few defeats. Wing saw his gross punting average fall from 46.2 to 44.1 and his net punting average drop from 40.9 to 36.7, which was the worst in football. His number of punts inside the 20 also fell from 28 to 19. Wing had two punts blocked. It was a precipitous drop for a player who had been named “NFC Special Teams Player of the Week” twice in 2016.

An Australian, the left-footed Wing was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles after the 2013 NFL Draft. He did not make the team but he made the Pittsburgh Steelers roster in 2014. The Giants acquired Wing from the Steelers by trade for a conditional 7th-round draft pick in September 2015. Until 2017, Wing combined a strong leg with good directional placement skills. He also was the Giants holder for both field goals and place kicks.

The Giants signed punter Austin Rehkow to a reserve/futures contract in January 2018. Rehkow was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2017 NFL Draft. The Bills waived him in August. He punted twice in the preseason, averaging 44.5 yards per punt.

REPORTS – DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE STAYING AT CORNERBACK…ESPN and The New York Post are both reporting that their sources say the earlier NFL Network report about the New York Giants moving cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (DRC) to safety is not true. Apparently no such decision has been made.

Meanwhile, The NFL Network is now reporting that the Giants have asked DRC to “take a signficant pay cut” from the $6.48 million in base salary he is currently due to make in 2018 (his overall 2018 cap number is $8.5 million). Supposedly no agreement has been reached and both sides are “far apart.”

Giants have asked CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to take a significant pay cut from the $6.5m he’s due in 2018, sources say. No final decisions made either way but DRC and the team are far apart at this point.

GRAHAM GANO RE-SIGNS WITH PANTHERS…
The Carolina Panthers re-signed place kicker Graham Gano on March 6 to a reported 4-year, $17 million deal. There had been media reports that the Giants were expected to pursue Gano if he hit the open market on March 12th. The 30-year old Gano made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career last season after he converted on 29-of-30 field goal attempts (96.7 percent).

NEW YORK GIANTS TRADE FOR LINEBACKER ALEC OGLETREE…
The New York Giants have traded way the 4th round compensatory pick and their 6th round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft for linebacker Alec Ogletree of the Los Angeles Rams. The Giants will also receive the Rams’ 7th-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The trade will become official on March 14th, when the new league year official begins.

The trade leaves the Giants with only five draft picks in the upcoming draft: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th (non-compensatory), and 5th. The Giants traded away their 7th-round pick last year for cornerback Ross Cockrell.

The 26-year old Ogletree was drafted in the 1st round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Rams. He made the All-Rookie team in 2013 and was named second-team All-Pro in 2016. Ogletree lacks classic size (6’2”, 235 pounds). He’s more of a run-and-hit and coverage linebacker who is very athletic and a team leader, being voted team captain twice with the Rams. Ogletree played both 4-3 outside and 3-4 inside linebacker for the Rams. In 2017, Ogletree started all 15 regular-season games he played in, finishing with 95 tackles, two sacks, 10 pass defenses, one interception, and one forced fumble. He’s averaged over 100 tackles per season in the NFL in five seasons.

Ogletree signed a 4-year, $42 million contract extension last year and is under contract through the 2021 season. Unless his contract is re-structured, Ogletree will count $10 million against the Giants’ salary cap in 2018.

GIANTS TO TENDER BRETT JONES, MOVING ON FROM WESTON RICHBURG…
According to multiple press reports, the New York Giants are expected to tender restricted free agent center/guard Brett Jones at the 2nd-round ($2.91 million) level. That will provide the Giants with the right to match any offer another team makes for Jones. If they do not, the Giants would receive that team’s 2nd-round pick as compensation. Teams have until March 14th to tender their exclusive rights and restricted free agents.

Jones took over the starting center spot for 12 games in 2017 after Weston Richburg was lost for the season. Jones was originally drafted by the CFL Calgary Stampeders in 2013. He signed by the Giants in February 2015 and placed on Injured Reserve in September 2015 after spraining the MCL in his knee on the preseason finale. In 2016, Jones was on the active roster for 14 regular-season games and made one start at left guard.

Multiple media sources are also reporting that the Giants are not interested in re-signing Richburg, who was placed on Injured Reserve in November 2017 with a concussion that he suffered a month earlier. He only played and started in four games in 2017. Richburg was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Giants. He has started 50 regular-season games. However, after a strong 2015 campaign, his play dipped in 2016 and 2017.

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